Being a parent is an interesting journey. I have been and still am learning so much about myself that I probably wouldn't have had I not chosen this path. But I'm not just learning about myself; I'm learning about life and others too. Currently, I'm observing how other mothers (and fathers) cope with the demanding and often crazy and exhausting experience of parenthood. For example, I see many mothers who put a great deal of effort into maintaining order, structure, and at least an outward appearance of everything being under control. These are the mothers who manage to have perfect hair and nails, an immaculate house, and tea always on the table at the allotted hour. Then there are other mothers who just surrender to the chaos; they allow themselves to look a little disheveled while the ironing piles up on the landing and the food stains on the walls and furniture grow ever larger. I know who the healthier of these two groups are, so I am learning to let go and realize that everything doesn't have to be perfect. When we try too hard to maintain perfection, we become rigid, uptight, and exhausted. When we resist chaos and uncertainty, life loses its spontaneity, fun, and freedom. Instead of laughing at our mistakes, from the sunken cake to the cobbled-together-at-the-last-minute fancy dress costume, we buckle under the weight of needing to always be getting it right and keeping it all together.

An Eclipse Brings New Beginnings

As November gets underway, a powerful solar eclipse in Scorpio aligned with serious Saturn asks some questions: Are you doing too much or trying too hard? Is it time to cut yourself some slack? Does it really matter if the dishes pile up in the sink or if your report is handed in a day late? Would you accept a spontaneous invitation to a day out at the beach, or would you turn it down because you have too many jobs to do? And how would you feel at the end of it all if you looked back and realized that the price you paid for striving to "keep it all together" was a sense of having missed out on life itself?

This Scorpio eclipse asks what is really important to you. It asks whether you've lost some of your passion, magic, and mystery in favor of doing a good job. So ask yourself where your passion lies: Where do you find magic, and when do you feel really alive? Then be ruthless in removing all the barriers to allow that to happen.